Anniversary Waltz
by The Pen Vs The Sword
Summary: Although it's been a long time since Tails' heartbreak, he has yet to surmount his grief. The only one who could possibly help him is the woman long dead. The woman he mourns for. Tails/Cosmo and Tails/Cream. Rated K. Mentions of death.
1. Chapter 1: Take Me Back

**A/N:** Okay, so this for a while now. It should be a three-parter, if all goes as planned.

**Pen:** Will it be dark and melancholy?

It could be.

**Pen: **Excellent. All the characters and related material belong to Sega. Sword and I belong to the author. The story belongs to the author. This first chapter was inspired by "The Scientist" by Coldplay.

**Sword:** I'm scared. Hold me, Pen.

**Pen:** No!

**Chapter 1- Take Me Back**

_Ding! _Tails' dream broke apart. _Ding! _Sunlight was filtering through his eyelids. _Ding!_ He was awake.

"It is currently seven thirty A.M.," the monotone, computerized voice of his alarm clock said. Its screen flashed the time, which was soon replaced by the predicated weather. "Today's weather is sunny. Chance of rain: ten percent. High of seventy-five degrees."

Tails pushed the screen aside and lied spread-eagled on the bed. He had been having such a nice dream too. He was off in a palace of sorts, dancing the night away with her.

He pondered staying in bed. But he knew that if he did not venture outside, Sonic or Amy would drag him out of his workshop by his tails. So, he kicked off his blanket and flung his legs over the side. He wobbled a moment or two, taking his time to start the day.

In his kitchen, his Rube Goldberg of a machine had already prepared him sunny side eggs, toast, and oatmeal. Normally, he would be in time to see the process in its early stage since his alarm clock activated the sequence. But when he arrived that morning, the food was already growing cold. Tails did not care. He chewed slowly, listening to the television on the kitchen counter.

"In other news, Sonic the Hedgehog has once again thwarted the nefarious Doctor Eggman's scheme. Eggman had taken hold of the city's power grid, using the added electricity to charge his latest robot menace." The news provided a fuzzy photo of the conquered, robotic foe, full of holes and torn apart. "Needless to say, it was no match for the fastest thing alive."

Tails tuned the television out. He returned to his dream, before he had been rudely awoken by his alarm. She had been there. She always haunted his dreams in some fashion or other, but had a stronger presence over the past couple of weeks. Expected by the boy genius, but no less distracting.

She had been as graceful as he remembered. Eloquent speech that matched her radiant beauty. Perhaps the foggy state of mind had added this, but he would have sworn she glowed like a heavenly creature. She had an overwhelming presence that had drawn him to her. Just like she had attracted him when they first met.

He had asked for a dance. She had accepted. Then they were transported to a ballroom, outfitted in fashionable evening wear, and waltzed the night away. The entire dream had been a pirouette of colors and her gorgeous smile.

The doorbell rang. Tails groaned. He had been so close to being back in that ballroom. He waited, hoping it was a deliveryman. The doorbell rang a second time. _No such luck_, he thought.

Tails answered the call, finding Sonic on his doorstep. "Hey, buddy," he said. "Wanna go grab something to eat?" Tails saw right through his friendly grin. He knew what Sonic was trying to do, as the blue hedgehog tried every year.

And like every year, Tails politely refused. "No thanks. I've already had breakfast." Sonic poked his head in the doorway, examining Tails' plate. The food had hardly been touched, only pushed around.

"Well, how about we go somewhere?" Sonic suggested.

Tails shook his head. "I think I'd prefer to stay in today," he said. "Thanks for coming by." He shut the door, but Sonic caught his foot in it.

"Tails," he said. The true Sonic shone through. He scratched his ear, looking elsewhere as if the right thing to say would be produced by nature. "We're here for you. You know that, right? If you want to talk or something."

"I know," Tails said. He gave him a small smile.

"We all miss her," Sonic said.

He saved Sonic the embarrassment of going beyond that. "I know," he said. "I'll be fine. I just want to be alone today. See you later." He shut the door, locking it. Sonic stood outside for a few minutes, frowning. He seemed to contemplate ringing Tails' doorbell again, but eventually respected the fox's wishes. He sped off into the distance.

Tails dumped the rest of his food in the garbage, then sat back down at the table. He did not have much to do today. Only one thing on the agenda and that could be done at anytime. He stared blankly at the television, flipping through the channels one by one.

_Daytime t.v. sure is awful,_ he thought as he shut the television off. He wandered to the stairs, wondering if he could sleep the rest of the morning, when the phone rang. _Five wrenches says it's Amy._

"Hello?" he said, answering the phone.

"Tails?"

_Five wrenches, please._ "Hey, Amy."

"How are you doing?"

He shrugged. "I'm okay. How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you." She paused. "Listen, Tails. We were thinking about getting some dinner tonight. You, me, Sonic, Cream, maybe Knuckles. Would you like to come?"

He shook his head. "No. Sorry, I have things to do. Thanks for the offer."

"Maybe another time then," she said.

"Maybe. Hey, I have to go. Bye, Amy."

"Bye. Take care," she said. She sounded worried. Then again, everyone always did around this time of year.

"You too." He hung up the phone and dragged himself upstairs. He forewent sleep, knowing he would never rise from the bed again. He did have to get his one thing finished today. At the very least, that.

So Tails showered, waking himself up. He spared time for only the basic of hygenics, as he could not bring himself to stare at his reflection in the mirror. He knew what he would see: tired, sorrowful eyes; drooping namesakes; thin fur; and a general colorless aura that overshadowed him. He kept his head down as he brushed his teeth. Then he headed outside, grabbing a spade, watering can, and gloves on the way to his backyard.

Underneath the only tree around his workshop, was his memorial of flowers, supported by a center stone. Marvelous plants of every kind grew there. Velvety red roses adorned the edges while black dahlias supported the bunch from the bottom. Marigolds lined the top and vines sprouting tiny flowers of their own hung down like hair. Snowy callas outfitted the bundle of baby blues above them, lead in formation by a taller calla. It was a beautiful sight to behold, one that invoked praise, admiration, and breathlessness in all who had seen it.

Tails laid down his watering can and took in the display. He had seen it so often from his bedroom window. "It's been three years now," he said to the flowers. He pulled on his gloves and tugged at a long weed. "Three years since you've left us."

The weed popped out. Tails discarded it. "Everyone keeps worrying about me. They don't need to. I only want to remember you. Is that too much to ask?" With the weeds cleared, he saw there was no need for the spade today. He settled on watering the flowers.

"Not that I don't remember you all the time," Tails said, quickly correcting himself. "But I mean, today is, well…" He trailed off, absent-mindedly drowning the dahlias. He realized his mistake and stopped. "You know that phrase "time heals all wounds"? It's wrong. It still hurts as much as three years ago." It had taken months after her death for his friends to coax him out of his self-blaming shell. However, the pain of her loss was severe and had faded little, if any at all. A small tear slipped down his cheek. "I miss you, Cosmo. I miss you."

Tails fell forward on his fists, punching and worming his knuckles into the ground. He had a good cry, silently sobbing for his departed love. He wished he could return to the start of everything, to the start of their relationship. He stayed out there for an hour or two, trying to connect to her. Hoping that his display brought her closer to him. That by spending his energy on this dedicated remembrance to her, that all would be easier. But he felt no connection. He was not closer. Things were not easier. Not at all.

A tiny chewing brought him out of his sorrow. He saw an insect eating at the stalk of one of the plants. Tails ran to his workshop. When he picked up his repellant bottle, he discovered it was empty. _Great. Looks like I'll have to run down to the store._ He really did not want to leave. Leaving entailed running into other friends who meant well, but did not understand. That would sour the day even more.

He looked at the bottle. He had to have some repellant lest the bugs harm one part of his memorial. So, steeling himself, he departed for the city.

Thankfully, he did not meet anyone he knew on the way to the gardening store. He swiftly found his preferred repellant brand, paid for it, and left. _Now, to hurry home._

"Tails?"

Not her. Not today. He had hoped to avoid her, but fate was a cruel, harsh prankster. Tails slowly turned around.

There stood Cream, tilting her head, her large, chocolate eyes perplexed that he was in the city. Like himself, Cream had grown taller over the years. Whereas he had only become fluffier and deepened his voice a notch, she was more womanly now, filling out her dresses nicely. She was in spitting distance of her mother, but retained that innocent, eager nature that separated the two. Cheese was accompanying her, perched in his happy home between her ears. When he saw Tails, he cooed a greeting.

"Hey, Cream. Hey, Cheese," Tails said. _Make this quick and leave._

"What are you doing here?" she asked, coming closer.

"Had to pick something up," he said.

"Oh. Us too." She produced a bag from around her back. Chao food. "Cheese was running low." The little chao attempted to open the bag himself. Cream placed him back on her head.

Then the awkward lull entered the conversation, that third wheel, detestable friend that caused both parties to look elsewhere. "I'd better get home," Tails said. "I'll see you around."

"Do you mind if we walked with you?" Cream asked.

Tails bit his lip. There was nothing harmful about a stroll to his house, but he could conjure up a dozen reasons why it would be a bad idea. _She's just trying to be nice. Are you going to turn all your friends away today?_ He scratched his head. "Uh, no. You can if you want."

Thus they headed to his house at a leisurely pace, allowing a chance to take in the city instead of rushing by it. But the sun was a little too bright, the people a little too sociable, the atmosphere a little too "It's a fine day," and in all, the city was a little too cheery for his tastes.

When they entered the park, Cheese whined loudly for a piece of food. "Do you mind if we stop for a minute?" Cream asked. Tails shook his head. Sitting on a bench, Cream opened the bag. Cheese dived right in the food headfirst and she had to yank him out. Then she doled out one piece, which he nibbled gratefully.

As Tails watched, a small grin rose to his lips. Cream was a good friend. Always thinking of others, especially him. That was in no small part due to the crush she had on him. She had even told Tails himself last year, but he had turned her down. It would not have been right. He would felt like he was cheating on Cosmo and that conflict would not provide Cream with the best boyfriend material.

Had that deterred her? No, for Cream had graduated from Amy Rose's School of Love. But instead of chasing Tails, Cream simply supported him, sticking by him no matter what his mood over the many months. She had been as good a friend as anyone could ask for. The guilt often ate him up when he realized that he offered nothing in return. But she asked and wanted for naught except his company.

She giggled as Cheese devoured another piece of chao food. Her laugh was infectious. He started to chuckle himself. _She's amazing._ In his eyes, he could find no fault with her. Cream was attractive, endearing, fun to be around, lovely, kind-hearted-

Tails jolted. He chastised himself. _What am I doing?_ _I can't do this. I can't be involved._ "Cream, I'm going to go," he said, standing from the bench.

"Okay, we will come with you."

"No, I'm going home by myself," he said. When she looked up at him, he backed away. Her eyes, shocked and slowly turning sad, pierced his heart. "I'm sorry. I-I just can't." Then he spun on his heel and ran off.

When he arrived home, he slammed the door and collapsed on his sofa. _How could I leave her there? I ran away._ He sighed. _Like I always do. You're an idiot, Tails. An idiot! Stupid! One of the most beautiful girls in the whole city. One of the most beautiful, wonderful, stunning-_

_No, stop it._ He smacked his forehead. _It's for the best. No one gets hurt. It will all pass in time._ Except his dedication to Cosmo. He knew that would stick with him for longer than Cream would wait. Cream would eventually give up. After all, she was not like Amy. Hurt her heart enough times and she would turn her affections elsewhere.

_But I hate doing that_, he thought. He smacked his forehead over and over, hoping to beat himself into a coma. When he did not, he decided he would spray the repellant and be done for the day. He sprayed the flowers none too soon, as more destructive bugs had appeared in his absence.

Afterwards, Tails stayed inside all day. Several times, people tried to get in touch with him by phone. He figured either Cream or Amy were calling. He could not bring himself to answer. After a dozen or so calls, he left the phone off the hook. Once, he heard a visitor ring his doorbell. Cream perhaps? He could not see and did not dare want to let anyone know he was home. He stayed in his living room, completely still until the visitor left.

When night fell, Tails dragged himself upstairs. He could not be bothered to shower. He did not have the energy or desire to be clean. He flopped into his bed, turning toward his alarm clock. Nine. Nine fifteen. Nine forty-three. Ten thirteen. Ten thirty-two. Eleven. Eleven eighteen.

The hours drifted by, but he could not sleep. He tossed and turned, the perfect position eluding him. He rubbed his face. _Maybe I'm spiraling into madness_, he thought. It would explain why the later he stayed up, the more the shadows played tricks on his mind. One distinctive shape reminded him of Cosmo's dress. Another resembled her head. He imagined putting them together.

He growled and turned over, away from his clock and the shadows on the wall. Why could he not fall asleep and be back in that dance with her? Why did he even wake up that morning? Tails squinted his eyes shut. He thought about the day, his friends, and finally settled on Cream. He recalled her feeding Cheese, the joy on his face, her wonderful smile. He grinned and soon, he boarded the train to slumber land.

**A/N:** Hope you're enjoying it so far.

**Pen:** I could get used to this.

**Sword:** Not me!

Please, let us know what you think. We'd appreciate hearing any comments or criticisms from you.


	2. Chapter 2: Dreaming of You

**A/N:** Hello again, everyone! Let's get right into it, shall we?

**Pen:** This chapter was inspired by "Dreams to Dream" by Linda Ronstadt. Tails and all related characters and material belong to Sega. Sword and I belong to the author.

**Sword:** Wait, wait! We'd like to thank ultimateCCC, Mew Aqua Spirit, and the anonymous reviewer for their reviews! And we'd like to thank AlvynnTheFox on Deviantart for giving us an idea to use in this chapter and the previous one! And djaik-niffsta on DA whose story inspired us to finish this chapter sooner! *grabs tissues* Okay, I'm ready.

Please enjoy.

**Chapter 2: Dreaming of You**

Music. That was what Tails heard. Regal, formal music. His eyes fluttered open. He was not in his bed, but outside, in thick grass teeming with the insects of the nights. He picked himself up. There was a large palace nearby that he had seen before. The music was drifting through its open windows and doors.

Tails smiled. She would be there. She always was when he visited this place. He ran to the palace, slipping by all the guests pouring in. He sought her out in the central ballroom. But the room could house at least three amphitheaters, or in this case, hundreds, if not thousands, of dancing visitors.

If he knew her, and he did, she would find him soon. Tails tried to search anyway, working his way out from the center. Soon he was trailing by the gigantic windows that opened to the night sky. Despite the many bright lights in the room, the stars above were shining through.

A hand rested on his shoulder. Delicate, soft velvety fingers that he had memorized very well. Tails spun around. _Cosmo._

She was really there. Those deep, sea blue eyes that he could lose himself in were amused as she chuckled. "Hello, Tails," she said, her voice like a choir of angels. Yet would he expect anything less from a beautiful creature like her? Should one expect any different when her ivory dress, still the same as he remembered, had a glisten to it that captured the lights of the ballroom, transcending her to have a wondrous glow? Indeed, the light she absorbed spread to the rest of her, radiating a brilliant shine that was lovelier than any dress in the room and sparkled brighter than any of the stars in the sky.

He was not ashamed to admit that such beauty had bewitched him. "Hello, Cosmo," he managed to choke out. "Fancy meeting you here again."

She smiled. Oh, that smile, with the tiniest of crooks of her pretty lips. That smile could cure any sour mood. "And again and again," she said. She looked expectantly at the dancers gracefully gliding in one massive circle on the floor.

Tails looked down. Gone were his simple gloves and red and white shoes. He was sporting shiny, black shoes that completed a black tuxedo and dress gloves. He was not taken aback by the sudden change. Tails only grinned, as if he had expected it. He straightened his little bowtie and bowed to Cosmo. "Care to dance?" he asked. He held out his hand.

"I would love to," she said, slipping her fingers into his palm. He led her to the dance floor and they entered the crowd. Although the other women were dressed in a variety of beautiful colors, Cosmo stuck out from the dancers like a lighthouse amongst the multi-colored sea. She and Tails became a guiding light, leading everyone in a waltz.

Although he was far closer to the band than before, the music barely registered in Tails' ears. He was focused solely on Cosmo, her laughter, her glimmering eyes, her dainty figure. He allowed himself to lose his way in this dream, swirling, twirling with Cosmo.

The songs changed. Now strings struck up a somber number, bringing in the rest of the musicians for intensity at spots. The crowd dispersed, granting Tails and Cosmo the floor. This was a song for one couple alone. Neither Tails or Cosmo seemed to care. They held onto one another- his hand on her waist, hers on his shoulder, and clasping their remaining hands.

A singer stood in front of the band, singing to the hauntingly beautiful song. Tails did not even notice when she finished the last chorus or when the band stopped playing. For that matter, he did not realize that the ballroom had long faded away into swirling, violet-tinged fog. He continued to dance with Cosmo until they reached a lull in their stride.

He leaned his forehead against hers as they enjoyed the rest. "You dance divinely," he said.

"You're not too bad yourself," she said, smiling and pecking his cheek. "Thank you for the dance."

"The pleasure was all mine." He did not move, afraid everything would shatter if he did. Yet Cosmo pulled away, leading him through the misty surroundings. They traversed a hilly region, but Tails saw nothing beneath his feet except more of the fog. It was an ethereal world that had no inhabitants, no time, no discernible purpose.

Eventually, Cosmo settled on one particular hill. Tails sat beside her, his tuxedo traded once more for his plain shoes and gloves. Cosmo retained her glow and it was a comforting beacon amongst the swirling mist.

"Tails?" she asked. He raised his head to her. "Are you happy?"

"Of course I'm happy," he said. "How could I not be? All I want to do is stay here with you."

Her face dropped sadly. "Tails, you do understand none of this is real, right? That everything here has been a dream."

"Yes," he said, nodding. "I know."

"Then why do you continue to come here, seeking me night after night? Especially at this time of year?" Tails did not speak. "I will ask you again: are you happy?"

He shook his head. "No. I've been miserable without you. Ever since that day, I've done nothing, but think of you."

She patted his shoulder. "I know," she said. "It is quite obvious." Suddenly, a patch of the fog dissipated to reveal his memorial under a sunny day. "The flowers are very lovely. You have done a great job growing them."

"Thank you," he said. "But I did it for you. I couldn't let your seed be alone like that." He could have pinpointed the tallest calla blindfolded.

"However, by dwelling on me, you have neglected other aspects of your life," she said. "I have watched you waste away, no longer the happy boy I fell in love with. These days, you are like a sad shadow of your former self." The memorial disappeared, but the fog did not fill the hole left in its wake. "That is to say nothing of your friends."

A view of Sonic appeared, head in his hand, as he tapped his fingers against a table. The picture zoomed out to show Amy beside him, looking equally worried. Amy troubled was one thing, but Sonic was always carefree and lively. He was rarely fretting anything, yet there he was, the worry spelled out in his eyes while he frowned. "Maybe we can do something else for him?" Amy half-heartedly suggested.

"What do you have in mind?" Sonic said, swiveling his head in his hand.

"I'm not sure. Just something to show him that he still has friends," she said.

"Well, whatever you think of, I'm game." He sighed. "I'm out of ideas. Nothing seems to work." He laid his head on the table, clutching his quills. Amy sympathetically rubbed his shoulder. Then the scene vanished into nothingness.

"Or of other loved ones," Cosmo said.

As soon as the next image cropped up, Tails turned away. He could not do this. Yet Cosmo touched his hand. "Look," she said. "Tails, please look." Reluctantly, he faced the sight of Cream.

Cheese hovered above his friend's head, cooing and bringing out an assortment of items to cheer her up: board games, old toys, pictures. However, Cream sat alone in her room, kicking her shoes against the bed. If Sonic and Amy's despair induced guilt, then Cream's was absolutely heart-wrenching. Even her sighs made Tails want to crawl under a rock for the rest of his life.

Eventually giving up, Cheese curled up in Cream's lap, upset that he could not cheer Cream up. His little body shuddered as he sobbed into her dress. Cream picked him up and shushed him. "Cheese, it's okay," she said softly. "It's not you. I'm concerned about Tails. He has been getting worse and worse. No one knows what to do."

Tails could not bear watching anymore "Take it away," he said. "I get it."

Cheese continued to be racked by tears. "Now, Cheese," Cream said, holding him close to her chest. "Stop that. If you keep that up, I'm…I'm…" She trailed off, blinking her eyes rapidly.

"No more! Take it away!" Tails said more forcefully. "Please!" At his command, Cream and Cheese disappeared into the fog. He was left alone again with Cosmo. She waited for him to compose himself. "I understand what you're trying to do. I'll spend more time with my friends, okay? I won't shut them out."

Cosmo smiled. "That's a start, but I want you to do something else."

"Name it."

"Find love."

He stared at her blankly. "Excuse me?"

"Find love," she repeated. He gazed at her, slack jawed. "You need to move on from pining after me. You have had your grief for years. At first, I thought more grieving might be conducive to the healing process. Get everything out at once. But I was wrong."

Another scene formed before them. Tails had to take a moment to place it, but he soon recalled it. Cream was bashfully standing in front of him, dragging her toes along the ground and occasionally glancing elsewhere. Her confession to him, but silent, as if it were a movie with missing audio. "Then when Cream confessed, I thought maybe you could be happy again."

The past Tails shook his head once Cream finished. He appeared apologetic and Cream became downhearted. "But you pushed that away too, remaining in your isolation."

"I couldn't accept her love," Tails said. His past self was walking away from her, gradually becoming emaciated and his fur thinning. Before the image became skin and bones, it regained some meat, transforming into a depressed, listless duplicate of the current Tails.

"Why not?" Cosmo asked, the scene pausing. "Do not deny you have feelings for her. I can see it in your eyes."

Tails flushed red and hung his head. "Okay, yes. You're right about that. But I don't want to replace you. I can't replace you." All the work in the months after her death were undone in moments. A cascade of sorrow and anguish flooded Tails. "I don't deserve to be happy in love anyway. Not after I killed you."

A cool, soft hand cupped his cheek. Then Cosmo pecked the corner of his lips. "Tails, I forgive you. You had to do what was necessary. I do not begrudge you for that." He opened his mouth to protest, but she shushed him. "You did what had to be done, alright?" She had stemmed the tide, sealing up the barrier to that avenue of blame. He accepted her forgiveness. "But now why would you think that you would be replacing me? What sort of silliness is that? You would not be."

"Yes, I would," he said, twiddling his thumbs. "If I let myself fall in love with someone else-"

"Tails," she said. "When you became friends with Amy, did you lose all your friendship with Sonic? Was there not room in your heart for both, and many more friends in the years since?" He slowly nodded. "Does a parent forget an older child simply because a new one is born? No. The children share the parent's heart, each having a place there." She paused. "Does one forget about ex-lovers they date? Is there not a small flame that burns even when both are happily married the rest of the lives? Does a widow who discovers a new love forget all about their previous spouse? Is there not still affection there those who are gone?"

Cosmo touched his chest, running her hand through his fur. "I know I will always have a place in your heart. Just as you will always have a place in mine. Cream knows this. It is plain as day to her." The scene resumed, fast forwarding to the current day, replaying the scene from the store earlier that day "Yet she continues to offer her love. She wants a place in your heart. She wants to see you happy, as do I. Do not think you will forget about me simply because you try to find love again."

He turned to the scene again. It had vanished into the fog. "Alright. If you're sure, I'll do it for you."

"No," she said. His head snapped up. "Do it for yourself. For Cream. For love."

"Alright," he said. "Thank you, Cosmo." He leaned into her, closing his lips on hers. He savored the scent and taste of nature in its fullest form. She meshed her mouth to his, breathing heavily in the kiss. His tails wrapped around her, pulling Cosmo closer as he held her head in his hands. He pressed his lips harder to hers, drinking up every ounce of the sensation that he could. All too soon, it ended. The fog cut between them, separating the two. Tails was overcome by a strong urge to faint. He fell backwards, cradled by an unknown object, and blacked out.

**A/N:** Huh. These are coming out shorter than I expected. Maybe we should've made it one long one-shot.

**Sword:** *blows nose* But let's hear from you! We want to!

**Pen:** No, we do not.

**Sword:** Yes, we do! We do! We do! We do!


	3. Chapter 3: Finding Love

**A/N:** And now we come down to the last chapter!

**Sword:** Ooo, I hope it has a happy ending!

**Pen:** I feel very betrayed. You promised me a dark story. Peh.

**Sword:** Whiner. Tails, Cosmo, Cream, and all Sonic related material belong to Sega. Me, Pen, and the story belong to the author. This one was inspired by a few songs, but the one that inspired it first was "Already Gone" by Kelly Clarkson. Also, thanks to KaylaMicael, ultimateCCC, Mew Aqua Spirit, SonicTails, Exploder, Guest, and NyanRainbowPrincess for their reviews! Let's go!

Please enjoy.

**Chapter 3- Finding Love**

_Ding!_ Cosmo. _Ding!_ Tails sat up in bed. He was home. It had all been a dream. _A dream. That's right_, he thought.

"It is currently seven thirty A.M.," his alarm clock droned. He pushed the screen aside and hopped out of bed. "Today's weather is sunny. Chance of rain: ten percent. High of seventy-seven degrees."

Tails climbed downstairs in time to witness his machine making breakfast. Today it was set to cook pancakes and eggs. The baking mix slid along a zipline from the pantry. When it was positioned over a bowl, it was tilted over by a metal beam. The refrigerator opened, popping out a dozen eggs. A few were caught by a catcher's mitt above the bowl. Robotic claws retrieved the eggs, cracked them on the counter, poured the yolk in the bowl, and deposited the shells neatly in the trash. A tube connected to the milk carton in the fridge drained the last of the milk as more claws added a few other ingredients.

"Please replace: milk," a computerized voice said as Tails threw away the empty carton. The beater fell into the bowl and whipped up the mix. Meanwhile, the other eggs that had been tossed were cracked into a skillet on the stove. A spatula, dangling from the ceiling, lowered and pushed the eggs around. A hand added a dash of salt, then served Tails orange juice as he sat at the table.

He patiently waited, sipping his drink as his meal was cooked. He returned to the dream, dwelling on Cosmo's words. Especially what he had promised to do. _Find love._ It truly was always easier to say something than it was to do it. Now that he had left the comfort of that dream, he did not know if he could go through with her request.

That sort of thing did not happen right away. Nobody could expect him to immediately jump into anything so advanced and serious. After all, it had been a dream, right? That Cosmo had not been the real Cosmo.

_It sure sounded like her._ Cosmo or not, it had all her qualities. She had certainly acted like the Cosmo he knew. So maybe it was truly her. Maybe that was what she would want. In which case, he had to keep his promise. _I have to do it for her._ He could almost hear Cosmo scolding him, reminding him to do it for Cream and himself.

But how could he simply walk up to Cream and strike up a relationship? Surely things like this took time. However, he knew a spark had already been kindled between Cream and him. Cosmo had not been asking him to start the fire, but build it. Kindle it and stoke it until it blazed like an inferno.

The eggs were delivered to a plate and set in front of Tails. Then the batter from the bowl was poured into the skillet. "Chocolate chips, please," Tails said. A bag of chocolate chips were brought out of the pantry and sprinkled in the sizzling batter. The spatula flipped the pancakes over every now and again. When one had been thoroughly cooked, it was put on Tails' plate with a heaping helping of syrup. Then more batter would be poured in.

Tails ate his food peacefully. He decided he would head to the store after breakfast and pick up some fresh milk. However, his meal was interrupted by the telephone. "Hello," he said, answering it.

"Hey, bud," Sonic said. He talked carefully, as if he were stepping around a trap built by Eggman. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good," Tails said. "What's up?"

Sonic paused, as if unsure how to continue. "Um, I was wondering if you wanted to catch a movie with me and Amy tonight? That new one, about the explorer and all? Figured you'd want to see it. We could also grab some dinner beforehand. Make a night of it."

"Sure, what time?" He could almost see Sonic gawking over the phone.

"Oh, uh, seven?"

"Seven's good. I'll see you then."

"Okay," Sonic said slowly. "See you then."

Tails scarfed down the rest of his breakfast, then quickly showered. He stopped by his memorial on his way out. The flowers were doing well, swaying gently in a cross breeze.

_I have to try,_ he told himself. _For Co- Cream and me._

Since the grocery store was nearby, he went there first. He hoped to stave off visiting Cream until he was ready. Ready to do what exactly, he was not sure. Maybe ready to figure out what he should say to her. But when he had replaced his milk, freshened up for his visit, and was on the way to Cream's house, he still had no clue what he should say to her. _Hi, Cream. I had a dream about Cosmo and made a promise to her that I would try give you a chance. Would you like to go out? Go on a date? Get married? Yeah, that doesn't sound weird at all,_ Tails sarcastically thought.

But maybe he should ask her out. Like on a friendly outing for lunch. Nothing special, only a meal. With that plan set in mind, he spun his namesakes, flying the rest of the way to her house. When he knocked on the door, he was a little relieved that Vanilla answered it. "Hello, Tails," she said, her matronly voice soothing his jittery nerves. "What brings you here today?"

"Hello, Miss Vanilla. Is Cream home?" he asked.

She nodded. "She's upstairs in her room."

Tails' heart dropped into the pit of his stomach, which in turn plummeted to his feet. He recalled the scene vividly of Cream alone in her room, on the verge of tears. He quietly thanked Vanilla and climbed the stairs. Each step crashed like the tidal waves of guilt washing over him.

When he knocked on her door, he almost fled. He hoped she was not crying. How could he console her if she was? Especially since he would be the root cause? _Tell her I've changed. Tell her everything is okay_ now. Although that would not relieve her heartache. He groaned. What would he do?

The door cracked open. A solitary, sparkling brown eye peered out. When she saw who it was, Cream opened the door wider. "Tails?" He studied her face. She did not appear to have any tearstains on her cheeks. But her eyes were wet. Was she close to crying? Had that scene in his dream been a glimpse into reality?

"Hey, Cream," he said.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I'm…" He trailed off. His voice failed him. _What was it?_ He panicked. _How could I forget? I remembered it on the way over!_ All the worry over Cream had shoved everything else from his mind.

"Tails?" She stepped closer to him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he said, the heat rising in his face. "I was just wondering if-if," he said, elongating every word to stall for time. _Come on! What was it?_

"If?" she prodded.

He suddenly recalled his question. It came flooding out at once, eager to make a showing. "Ifyou'dliketogogetsomethingforlunch?" She stared at him blankly. He cleared his throat, shaking his head. "What I mean is, would you like to go get something for lunch?"

That must have been the magic word, for Cheese popped out of nowhere. He gurgled, rubbing his whining stomach. Cream giggled and nodded. "Sure. You don't mind an extra, do you?"

He smiled. "Not at all."

The trio left together, heading to the city. They settled on a small, outdoors café. The white tables were perfectly shaded from the scorching midday sun by large umbrellas. As they waited for their food- Cheese impatiently pressing his face to the kitchen's windows- Tails stared at Cream. She was gorgeous, he thought. But then he knew that. He knew all about her. Tails knew what he wanted and thanks to his dream, he now knew he could pursue it freely.

_But what if she doesn't feel the same?_ After all, she may have cried alone many a night in her room. Who was to say that his departure yesterday had not sealed this avenue off permanently? _I have to try._

"Cream?" He had her attention. He really did enjoy meeting her eyes. So bright, so innocent. There was rarely anything, but kindness and love for friends there. Although like Amy, Cream was not opposed to raising her temper in the right situation. "I'm sorry about yesterday. For running off and all."

"It's alright, Tails," she said, patting his hand. "I understand."

He shook his head. "No, it's not alright. You don't deserve that. You've been, well, amazing." She was gazing at him intently now. He saw the clarity on her face as she realized this was a serious conversation. "Even though I haven't been worth the effort, you've stuck by me. Thank you."

She slid her hand into his. "You're welcome. But Tails, you are worth the effort. Given what happened, anyone would have a hard time." She grinned. "I'm happy you've let me in as much as you have."

He took a deep breath. "But I want to let you in more," he said. He squeezed her hand. "I want to return what you've done. Give you what you want."

"Tails, you don't have to repay me," Cream said, frowning. "What I did was not a pity act. I did it because you are my friend and because I, well," she said, lowering her head. "I love you." The last part was a mumble. He could not blame her. Last time she had said that, he was sure he had shattered her heart.

"I'm not trying to repay you like that," he said. "I honestly want to give you what you want. Because…"

"Because?" Although her creeping grin already told him she knew what he was about to say. The hope in her eyes was unrestrained and she was leaning closer to him.

"Because I've started to feel the same about you," he said. There, he had come out with it. There was no more denying anything. "I'd like to give it a chance. If you still want to that is." He prepared himself, hoping against hope that she would not say she had moved on.

"Of course I do," she said. He exhaled a large breath, completely deflating himself. Cream giggled. "What made you change your mind?"

He thought about explaining his dream to her. But now was not the moment to bring up old flames. Now was about starting anew between Cream and him. So he decided to simply say, "Last night, I had some sense knocked into me. Realized that staying in a slump wasn't doing anyone any good." She nodded, accepting his answer for now as their food arrived. He smiled. If she ever asked for clarification, he would tell her.

They enjoyed their meal, talking idly about what was new in their lives. Tails invited her out to the movie with Sonic and Amy. "Two dates on the same day?" Cream asked, amused.

Tails rubbed his neck. Was this a date? If so, it was pretty nice. "If you want to that is. Think of it as one long, all-day date."

She sipped her drink. "Sure."

Once they finished their meal, they decided to take a walk around town until it was time to meet Sonic and Amy. They mostly window shopped and Tails indulged Cream's choices of clothing stores.

In one particular store window, he caught an image in the mirror. A strange image, one that seemed slightly familiar. He realized it was himself. No longer was there an air of dark depression about him. His fur held a tinge of that gold he used to have when he was younger. His eyes were brighter and for the first instance in the longest time, he was smiling widely.

On the opposite side of the street, he saw a tree, blowing in the wind. Peering out from its trunk was a shadowy figure. One whose hair was like dangling petals and whose dress swayed and flowed in the sunny breeze. It almost seemed to nod approvingly. Tails whipped around, searching, but only saw the tree. He craned his neck out and found his stranger. It was a baby palm tree, supported by wooden pieces as it was growing.

A few leaves broke off from the taller tree. They floated on the wind currents and circled Tails before taking off into the sky. He looked up and picked out a distinct cloud lazily flying overhead. It was in the form of a face that possessed those same hair-like petals as his stranger. He thought he saw a smile forming as it split apart.

"Tails?" Cream asked. He looked down at her. "What is it?" She was watching him questioningly.

He knew that he could do this. He could love again, for himself and for Cream. _Definitely for Cream_, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "It's nothing." He pecked her cheek, causing her to flush scarlet. She reciprocated his loving gesture and they continued down the sidewalk, grinning and blushing like a couple of mad fools.

**A/N: **And there you have it. Done.

**Sword:** Yay for romance!

**Pen:** I feel cheated. I was promised angst and sadness. Not this working your way through it garbage.

**Sword:** I'll give you angst! For your pain! En garde!

Well, let us know what you think. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!


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